Set against the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, the small town of Ellijay, Georgia is known as the Apple Capital of Georgia. But for Memorial Day Weekend, we weren’t here for any apple picking; we visited Ellijay with a group of friends for a relaxing cabin getaway in the mountains.
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Mountain Cabin Getaway
Our cabin, the Blue Garnet
The cabin we were staying in was way up the mountain and with all the winding and gravel roads, it took about 15-20 minutes to get from the front gate to the cabin, so once you’re in, you don’t really want to go back out. This was fine for our purposes; we were really just there to cabin and not much else.
Like all good cabins should be, this cabin had lots of bear and moose decorations, from the pictures on the walls to the pillows to the rugs. I instantly felt right at home.
We rented this cabin because it had plenty of rooms for our group of 8 and it had a hot tub. We were able to sprawl out, play games, cook dinner, hang out on the porch swing, and bond without feeling like we were constantly on top of each other.
The one major downside was that we couldn’t turn the AC in the cabin lower than 77 degrees or the unit would freeze. With temperatures being in the 90s all weekend, this made being inside the cabin sweltering, and there’s just no way to cool down. We ended up using the hot tub more as a pool because being in the 85 degree water was cooler than being inside.
On the drive up the mountain, we passed so many deer. They were wandering all throughout the yards and standing on the side of the road and leisurely crossing the roads. We even saw a bunch of deer at our own cabin while we were chilling out in the hot tub. (Unfortunately, we did not see any bears like during our cabin weekend in Helen.)
Where to Stay in Ellijay
Find the perfect place to rest your head on your visit to Ellijay, from the top rated accommodations to unique stays you can’t get anywhere else.
- Ellijay River House Bed & Breakfast — an adorable bed and breakfast in a 1915 home set on the river in downtown Ellijay.
- Waterfront Lodge vacation rental — a private waterfront cabin with large covered porches and a hot tub.
- Cabin Fever vacation rental — a beautiful secluded waterfront retreat located at the Coosawattee River Resort.
- Magical Forest Cabin vacation rental — a pet-friendly, creek-side home with a hot tub.
Things to Do in Ellijay
We did get out of the cabin for one day to explore Downtown Ellijay. Here are a few things you can do in the area:
Wine Tasting
We had originally planned on doing some wine tastings since North Georgia is wine country. There are a handful of wineries that are actually in Ellijay and there are plenty more close by. You can check out my post about a wine tour with Murphy’s Winery Transport to learn more about the vineyards in the area.
We ended up not doing any wine tours on this trip, but we did sample some Cartecay Vineyards wines at Mountain Treasures on the square; they make boozy slushies with wine that are phenomenal.
Tubing
Tubing is also popular in Ellijay, but we decided against doing this because the county does not permit alcohol on the river. We really wanted a boozy weekend, so that didn’t fit in with our plans. There are a few companies that will take you tubing, though, like the Coosawatee River Tubing Co. located in the Coosawatee River Resort and the Cartecay River Experience. We have all the gear from shooting the ‘Hooch, so we would have rather done it on our own anyway.
Shopping
Downtown Ellijay is great for some antique shopping. There are about 6 antique shops just in the downtown area, and we hit nearly all of them. A lot of the stuff is mountain-themed, like all the moose and bear stuff we found in our cabin. But, like in all antique stores, you can find a variety of treasures.
Festivals
If you’re in Ellijay in the fall, definitely check out the Georgia Apple Festival and the many apple orchards around town for apple picking season.
There were also two May events in Ellijay that we just missed: the Georgia Apple Blossom Festival when you get to see the apple orchards change color with blooms; and the Taste of Ellijay held the Thursday before Memorial Day where you can sample some local restaurant cuisine.
More Things To Do In Ellijay, Georgia
Just can’t get enough of this mountain Georgia town? Check out these other Ellijay itineraries.
- A Girls’ Trip to Ellijay, Georgia: The Perfect Itinerary
- Exploring Downtown Ellijay, Georgia
- Apple Picking in Ellijay, the Apple Capital of Georgia
- Where to Eat and Drink in Ellijay, Georgia
- Georgia Hikes: Blackberry Mountain Clear Creek Trail
Ready to visit Ellijay, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find Accommodation: You can find top cabin rentals in Ellijay using VRBO.
- Start Packing: Check out my packing list resources so you’re prepared for your trip.
- Explore Ellijay in a New Way: Enjoy a Mystery Weekend in Ellijay to discover more of the town.
Cheers!
Paige
Have you had a cabin getaway weekend in Ellijay? Let me know in the comments!
